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The freedom to post anything on the Internet has amplified the ongoing debate of determining the difference between allowable “free speech” and “hate speech.” Freedom of speech, as established in the First Amendment, allows people to speak or write anything they desire. Hate speech can be defined as “speech that attacks a person or group on the basis or race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation” (Dictionary.com). While Americans do have the freedom to say or write what they want, the Government also has the authority to punish citizens for committing hateful speech acts. The only feasible way for humans’ freedom of speech to be removed would be to cut out everyone’s vocal cords and cut off the fingers of every individual, which would prevent any form of speaking or writing (Van Mill). Since this is obviously not feasible, there is a need to establish an order or a limit to freedom of speech on the Internet due to the growing number of “hate groups” and amount of “hate speech” posted on websites.
The Internet is a vast space that allows for anyone to post anything he or she desires. While most information presented on the Internet is useful, informative, fun, advertisement-oriented, and/or interesting, other posts are hateful and frowned upon by many:
The Internet has allowed extremists to expand access to a potential audience of millions – including impressionable youth. It has also facilitated communication among like-minded bigots across borders and oceans and enhances their ability to promote and recruit for their causes anonymously and cheaply. In a criminal context, e-mail messages containing threats can be sent behind a cloak of anonymity or false identity (Kaplan & Moss).

As Kaplan and Moss brilliantly state in their research paper, “Investigating Hate Crimes on the Internet,” the Internet also allows for bigots who post hateful speech to do so anonymously. The Internet has not encouraged hate, nor has it increased the amount of hate worldwide; however, the Internet provides a common ground, a platform, for bigots around the globe to conglomerate and express their hateful opinions to the general public. Before the Internet’s inception it was more difficult for hate speech to be spread and publicized to vast audiences around the globe. The next step is to establish a Government committee responsible for censoring the posts on the Internet so hate speech cannot be so rapidly spread over the Internet, where young, innocent youths can see it and potentially become convinced of certain bigoted opinions.